In road crash rescue scenarios involving patient extrication, it is critically important to understand how to safely access the vehicle gain entry to assist occupants. It is vital to understand the type of vehicle and door style, material, design and configuration, in order to effectively and safely respond to an emergency.
Many doors have electrical opening or locking, some have mechanical locking systems, and these may be individually or centrally controlled. Whilst the majority of passenger cars have conventional doors, there are increasingly more vehicle models on Australian roads which feature less common door styles and may therefore have different functionality or design, affecting emergency access. Therefore, identifying and understanding these doors is essential for successful road crash rescue outcomes.
Conventional Hinged Doors open outward by pivoting on hinges fixed at the front edge of the door. These are the standard types of doors used on most sedans, hatchbacks, SUVs, and more traditional vehicles.
Less common vehicle doors include:
Sliding Doors
- Description: Slide horizontally along a track on the side of the vehicle.
- Example: Popular in minivans and some SUVs. eg. Kia Carnival
Rear Hinged Doors
- Description: Hinges are mounted at the rear edge, so the door opens outward from the back.
- Example: Seen in older luxury cars and some modern high-end vehicles eg. Rolls-Royce Phantom & BMW i3
Winged Doors
- Description: Hinged at the roof and open upward, resembling a seagull’s wings.
- Example: Tesla Model x
Scissor Doors
- Description: Open vertically by pivoting upward on a hinge near the bottom front corner.
- Example: Lamborghini models like the Aventador.
Butterfly Doors
- Description: Open outward and upward at an angle, like a butterfly’s wings.
- Example: McLaren P1, LaFerrari, BMW i8
Asymmetrical / 1.5 Doors
- Description: A conventional front door paired with a small rear-hinged half-door wings.
- Example: The half-door opens in the opposite direction of the front door, creating a wide opening when both doors are opened together with no B pillar. eg. Fiat 500e
…plus a variety of many other less common, international or concept-style door configurations.
The Crash Recovery System database contains thousands of vehicle worksheets that provide crucial information including door deactivation or unlocking mechanisms and the location of critical elements including cylinders and pillars to aid the use of extrication tools, including pry bars, cutters, spreaders and rams. Click Here for more information.
